The Marblehead High girls basketball team completed the regular season with a 13-8 record, and despite double digit wins, they are the 38th seed in the Division 2 state tournament. The Magicians will now take on host Notre Dame Academy of Hingham (13-7, 27th seed), a familiar foe, on Thursday night (Feb. 26) in a preliminary round game, starting at 6:30 p.m. A total of 42 teams have qualified for the postseason in this division.
Back on Jan. 12, the Marblehead girls lost a close battle to the Cougars at home, 43-39.
“They know us, and we know them,” said coach Paul Moran after the tournament pairings were announced last Saturday. “We lost two competitive games to them, once last year and another one last month at our place. They were both good games.”
Moran says that Notre Dame plays in a small gym, similar to the Bishop Fenwick venue, and is looking forward to another meeting with them.
The veteran Marblehead coach has few complaints this season, but still wishes they could have won a couple of more games. “We definitely have had a solid year, but I’d love to have a couple of those (close) losses back,” said Moran.
Moran mentioned that the five senior players on the roster have averaged 12 wins the last four years, and he’s referring to Tessa Andriano, Greta Sachs, Hailey Schmitt, Nora Mahan and Samara Dosch, who has been on the sidelines this year after injuring her knee.
“They have been a really good group to coach over the years,” said Moran.
Their classmate Quinn Harris has also contributed to the program the last four years as the team manager.
The Magicians enter Thursday’s tournament game in Hingham on a roll after winning their last two regular season games against visiting North Andover (44-31, Feb. 16) and host Swampscott (40-33, Feb. 18).
Marblehead led at halftime against the Scarlet Knights, 17-11. Andriano was the leading scorer in this game for the home team with 13 points. Sachs was next in line with 11. Mahan chipped in with 10 that included three threes. Ainsley McDonald buried four free throws. Lucy McDonald, Carys Moran and Schmitt scored two apiece.
Against rival Swampscott, the Marblehead girls were trailing by one at halftime, 17-16. Andriano was once again the top gun with 20 points. Lucy McDonald accounted for 10 second half points. Ainsley McDonald had five. Sachs netted four points. Mahan sank one free throw.
